01 DASBook ch1to5 - d3ciwvs59ifrt8.cloudfront.net first encounter with the oral boards. The oral boards differ from the written boards in several ... The ABOG Bulletin states that

FIFTH EDITION

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Chapter 1The Oral Versus the Written Exam: How They Differ 1

Chapter 2The Application Process 5

Applying for the Exam: Fast Track vs. Traditional 5

Requirements 7

Notification of Acceptance 7

Limitations 8

Qualifications 8

Chapter 3Scope of the Exam 9

Chapter 4Getting Started 11

Priority of Study Topics 11

References 12

Review Courses 14

Tutorial Courses 18

Milestones 20

Table of Contents

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Chapter 5The Case List 29

Significance of the Exam 29

Criteria for Admission to the Exam 30

Collection of the Case List 31

Initial Draft: Case-by-Case Entry 33

List of Obstetric Patients 33

Clinical Summary 41

Initial ABOG Form Entry 41

Clinical Summary 46

Initial ABOG Form Entry 47

List of Office Patients 47

Clinical Summary—Conservative 53

Clinical Summary—Speculative 53

Peer Review 54

Case List Logistics 55

Strategic Organization of the Case List 57

Editing 63

Using the Case List as a Study Tool 66

Defending Your Case List 67

Chapter 6Kodachromes 101

Chapter 7Case of the Day 105

Chapter 8Studying for the Exam 117

Mock Oral Exams 133

Pass Your Oral OB/GYN Board Exam!

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Chapter 9Image Enhancement 137

Chapter 10The Oral Exam 141

The Day Before 142

The Morning of the Exam 143

Exam Content 144

Exam Format 145

Evaluation Criteria 146

Examiner Alerts 146

Exam Conduct 147

Points for Style 151

The End 153

Chapter 11Test Results 155

If You Fail… 157

Chapter 12A Candidate’s Journey 161

Chapter 13Lessons Learned 175

Appendix AABOG Acceptable Case List Abbreviations 183

Appendix BAcronyms and Abbreviations 185

Appendix CAddresses 187

Table of Contents

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Appendix DCustom Case List 189

ABOG Software 189

Commercial Software 190

Customized Case List 191

Paradigm Shift 191

Software 192

Setting Up Your Own Database 196

Setting Up Your Obstetric Database 203

Setting Up Your Gynecologic Database 205

Setting Up Your Office Practice Database 205

Appendix ERecommendations for Subspecialty Fellows 211

Appendix FRecommendations for Military Personnel 215

Appendix GCase List Review 217

Index 219

Pass Your Oral OB/GYN Board Exam!

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The Oral Versus the Written Exam:How They Differ

1

1Chapter

The most common test format throughout medical school and resi-dency is a written exam. Years of experience with the written formatmake taking your primary written exam straightforward and pre-

dictable. Preparing for and taking an oral exam, however, are quite different.Experimentation with the oral exam format should not be reserved foryour first encounter with the oral boards.

The oral boards differ from the written boards in several ways. Thefirst of which is timing. You cannot sit for the oral exam until you havesuccessfully completed the written exam. Most graduates have transitionedinto clinical practice, which is just enough time to fall out of the manda-tory rigors of the academic environment of residency. No more morningreport, morbidity and mortality conference, or grand rounds—justenough time to have succumbed to “the good life,” just enough time to “getout of shape” for intense academic discipline. This academic apathy resultsin a rude awakening when you face the intensity of effort that will berequired to prepare adequately for the oral exam.

Isolation from the medical center mecca not only predisposes to aca-demic laxity, but also strips away the advantage of “misery loves company”that helps to motivate studying. Typically, residents prepare collectivelyfor upcoming tests, such as CREOG (Council on Resident Education inObstetrics and Gynecology) in-service exams and the written board exam.

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The Application Process

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2Chapter

Applying for the Exam: Fast Track vs. TraditionalThe Bulletin published by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Inc. is a guideline for the application process. This resource is invaluableand you will refer to it repeatedly throughout the entire process. You maydownload a copy from their website at www.abog.org.

Since 2002, candidates can apply for the accelerated oral exam process.Historically, you had to wait two years between successful completion ofthe written exam and the oral exam. In 2002, however, this was shortenedto a one year wait between the two tests.

There are pros and cons for each track. The advantage of the fast trackis you get it over with sooner. Why put off until tomorrow what you can dotoday? You also can ride on the academic momentum of your writtenexam preparation, rather than letting it slide away for another year.

The advantage of the traditional track is that it’s logistically easier. Youget a whole year to get settled into your new practice, community, lifestyle,etc. In the fast track, you have to begin collecting cases within a week aftercompleting the written exam. Furthermore, the exponential growth inyour clinical skills the first couple of years in practice will really help youon the exam. For these reasons, I recommend the traditional track.

I recommend the fast track only if you are immediately starting into apractice limited to just obstetrics or gynecology or you are planning topursue subspecialty fellowship training. Since you are examined in bothtopics, you won’t forget as much in one year. However, you will need to use


Scope of the Exam

9

The purpose of the exam is to evaluate your knowledge and skills insolving clinical problems in obstetrics, gynecology and women’shealth. Most importantly, you are expected to demonstrate a level of

competence that allows you to serve as a consultant to non-obstetrician-gynecologists in your community.

There is no better DNA of a practitioner’s mode of practice than his caselist. This is the one component of the exam that has remained constant formany years. Thus, half of your test is devoted to defending your case list.You must demonstrate the following abilities when questioned from yourcase list:

1. to develop a diagnosis, including the necessary clinical, laboratoryand diagnostic procedures

2. to select and apply proper treatment under elective and emergencyconditions

3. to prevent, recognize and manage complications

4. to plan and direct follow-up and continuing care

The Bulletin clearly states the case list is an essential component of thetest. For years defending the case list has comprised half of your test. Theother half has varied through the years. However, since 2007 the other halfhas been exclusively the structured cases.

This vague, yet all-encompassing subject matter makes studying ratherchallenging. In 2015, ABOG published a list of test topics in addition to thecase list categories. Additionally, ABOG does not disclose their grading scale.

3Chapter


Getting Started

11

Priority of Study TopicsThe oral exam can cover any topic related to Obstetrics, Gynecology andWomen’s Health. However, it is obviously impossible to review every topic.Perhaps the most common and costly mistake is failure to prioritize andfocus your studying.

To prioritize, you must identify your personal strengths and weak-nesses in specific topics. It is neither helpful nor realistic (yet typical of mostcompulsive physicians) to underestimate your strengths. Most candidatesassume that they are weak, or at least in need of a review of all topics. Thetask of identifying and then prioritizing your knowledge base entails twocritical steps.

The first step—and the most important while prioritizing—is to iden-tify which topics are most likely to appear on the exam. Your case list isessentially an open book test. Take advantage of this and prepare for everytopic on your list. You are accountable for every case list category, even ifyou didn’t chose it for your case list. How to extrapolate which of thesetopics is most likely to appear on your exam is covered in Chapter 5 (TheCase List). Effective in 2015, ABOG publishes a list of exam topics in theABOG Bulletin. This list is similar to the case list categories, but with a bitmore detail. Obviously you need to embrace each of these topics.

The second step is to identify your individual strengths and weaknessesin topics not yet covered above. Although there are as many different waysto tackle this problem as there are candidates, two techniques are popular.

4Chapter


The Case List

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Significance of the ExamThe ABOG Bulletin states that half of your exam is defending your caselist. The case list is a far more accurate assessment of your mode of prac-tice than a mere three hours of testing. It is the culmination of applyingbook knowledge to clinical practice for a full year. Thus, in my opinion, themost important variable of all exam components is the case list.

The examiners receive your case list at least the day before your exam.Certainly the degree of scrutiny varies with each examiner and the num-ber of case lists he receives. Nevertheless, the examiner meets your case listbefore he meets you. Undoubtedly, he will form a first impression of youbased exclusively on your case list.

I have reviewed many case lists. Outright failures, although rare, areobvious. On the other hand, there are no guaranteed passes based on thecase list alone. The other test components (e.g. structured cases) and espe-cially your finesse with the oral exam format, greatly influence the out-come. However, as long as you do not outright flunk the other examcomponents, you will surely pass the exam if you have satisfactorily defendedyour case list.

Thus, sound performance on the oral exam and a solid case list defenseare a sure bet for passing. An unsound case list, regardless of a stellar per-formance on the exam, will most likely result in failure. An unsound case listand a weak performance on the exam are guaranteed to result in failure.

5Chapter


Kodachromes

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6Chapter

The Kodachrome section was ELIMINATED in 2003. For those of thedigital generation, Kodachromes are 35-mm slides that are projectedimages. A few isolated ones have surfaced since 2003 and they are now

projected onto the laptop screen. They may represent any Ob/Gyn topic,but their role on the exam has shifted. Initially, the emphasis was on correctidentification of the slide. Later, they were used as a starting point for dis-cussion of a particular topic and comprised no more than 25% of the exam.

Historically, there were six to nine slides: two or three each for obstetrics,gynecology, and office practice. The set of slides changed daily. Typically,the slides were labeled with the diagnosis; although usually at least onediagnosis was unknown.

Obviously, the labeled slides stated the diagnosis up front. Althoughcorrect identification of the unknown slide scored points, you did not losepoints if you did not identify the slide correctly.

The examiners recognized that the unlabeled slides were subject tointerpretation.

Thus, there may have been more than one correct answer for eachslide. The emphasis was not on your correct identification of the Kodachrome,but on the justification for your interpretation. Variable interpretationswere a springboard for a variety of topics. The examiner had less controlof the agenda and you then had the opportunity for expression of individ-ual, creative thinking and spontaneous discussion of various topics. On theother hand, a labeled slide set a defined agenda and allowed standardiza-tion among candidates.

If you can picture a topic, it can easily be projected. The ACOG on lineCREOG QUIZ is a good reference since the questions always start with apicture. The difference is that they are followed by written questions, so allyou need to do is turn them into an oral discussion. You can also turn manyof the structured cases into a kodachrome or image.

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Case of the Day

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“Case of the Day” is my term for what the board refers to as Structuredand/or Simulated Cases. The case of the day was introduced in 1994 whenthey replaced the pathology microscopic slides interpretation; half of theexam entailed the kodachromes and the other half was the case of the day.This change signaled the board’s attempt to standardize the exam andintroduce more objectivity to an inherently subjective format.

The purpose of the structured cases, per the ABOG Bulletin, is tointerpret a candidate’s response to specific clinical situations. Typically,each case starts with a written patient management scenario that is pro-jected onto a screen and serves as a springboard for a specific topic.Standardized follow up questions ensue. Unlike the questions during thecase list section of the exam, ABOG (not the examiner) predeterminesmost of these questions.

All candidates being examined on the same day have the same struc-tured cases; hence, my nickname “case of the day”. There is a different setof cases every day. In 2003, when the kodachromes were deleted, the examwas limited to defending your case list and the case of the day. Therefore,half of your test, or 30 minutes, is devoted to the case of the day.

Like other exam components, the case of the day has also evolved.Over the years, the number of cases fluctuated from a minimum of threeto as many as seven. Like Goldilocks, ABOG decided the “just right” num-ber was five. Each section starts with the case of the day, and then switchesto defending your case list for the last half.

7Chapter

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Studying for the Exam

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8Chapter

The focus of this book until now has been the individualized studystrategy applied to specific phases of preparation for the oral exam.This chapter summarizes the process of studying in general.

You must first prioritize your study topics. Ideally, this is accomplishedabout six months before the exam, when you attend your first reviewcourse. Your objective in prioritizing is to identify and rank your personalstrengths and weaknesses across the range of study topics that are coveredduring the review course.

Compare this list with topics that you know will be on the exam;namely, those exam topics that are published in the Bulletin and those onyour case list. Finally, identify those topics that have been high yield dur-ing morning report throughout your residency, M&M conferences, andCREOG in-service training exams. Predictably, certain topics rise to thetop. Those topics that I feel are the highest yield are called “Know Cold”topics in Table 1. Those topics that are important to know, but of lesserimportance, I refer to as “Hot Topics” in Table 2. Each topic is followed bya line of questioning to answer during your review. The intent is not to beall-inclusive, but rather to stimulate you to ask even more probing questions.

Combine the above lists and draft an updated priority list. Stash itaway for later reference. Next, funnel all your energy into compiling thecase list. After the case list is cast in stone, identify the study topics that itgenerates. Cross-reference this study list with the earlier list generatedabove. Once again, compare the two lists and prioritize an updated list.


Image Enhancement

137

You can’t judge a book by its cover—or can you? Image enhancementis a facet of testmanship that is traditionally ignored. It entails thestrategy of optimizing not what you say, but how you say it. In other

words, it is how to influence positively, or manipulate, the examiner’s firstimpression.

Stereotypically, physicians ignore society’s emphasis on the physicalimpression, whereas in other professions (such as business or law), one’simage can make or break a deal or case. A well-known study concludedthat the first impression is based predominantly (55%) on appearance.Second, the quality of one’s voice, such as tone, pitch and speech pattern,has a 38% influence. A mere 7% is based on what you say. Furthermore,the first impression is made within only five seconds.

Some of you may argue that you don’t have to, that you don’t want to,and ultimately that you refuse to play the game. But given all the effort thathas gone into preparing for this exam, can you really afford not to? Why notapproach this issue as stacking the deck? Not bucking the system, but beatingthe system. Besides, if you don’t like it, change it when you’re the examiner.Remember, “You can’t change the system if you’re not in the system.”

Testmanship is the art of knowing not only what is on the exam, butwho the examiner is.

An examiner’s academic profile influences the type of questions thathe or she asks. Similarly, understanding the examiner’s physical image willgive you yet another insight into his or her makeup. The more you knowabout the examiners, the better armed you are to battle with them.

9Chapter


The Oral Exam

141

Until 2000, all of the exams were conducted over the course of oneweek at the Westin Hotel in Chicago, and typically held in earlyNovember. Since 2000, the exams have been administered in Dallas

and are spread out over three months. The candidates are divided intothree groups and each group is examined over one week in each of threemonths: November, December and January. The reason for this change isnot clear. It certainly makes exam security a lot tougher, and major holidays—Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukkah and New Years—are definitely ruined.Perhaps the board intends to use the same pool of examiners for all threemonths to promote standardization and consistency of exam conduct andthus, afford truer assessment of pass/fail.

In the past, it was rumored that a minimum percentage of candidateswere designated for failure. This change refutes that rumor because theresults of the exams are announced within one week. Obviously theNovember results cannot be delayed until the January exams. Whateverthe reasons for the change, it does not change your timeline for prepara-tion. Once you know the date of your exam, back-plot the timeline forstudying as recommended in Table 1 of Chapter 4, “Getting Started”. Giventhat the December and January dates coincide with the holidays, don’t dil-lydally in making your airline reservations to Dallas.

10Chapter


Test Results

155

Historically, departing remarks were a clue to whether or not youpassed the exam. “Have a nice flight” or “Enjoy the holidays”implied that you had passed. There is no more guarantee in these

remarks than there is in predicting the sex of a fetus by its heart rate. ABOGdispels this claim in the 45-minute introductory slide show. The specificcriteria for passing still remain a well-guarded secret. The Bulletin cites thefollowing generic criteria for evaluation:

1. Develop a diagnosis, including the appropriate clinical, laboratoryand diagnostic procedures.

2. Select and apply proper treatment under elective and emergency con-ditions.

3. Prevent, recognize and manage complications.

4. Plan and direct follow-up and continuing care.

The examination is designed to evaluate your qualifications as a spe-cialist or consultant to non- obstetrician-gynecologist colleagues. The goalof the test is also to evaluate your behavior in independent practice. Theemphasis is on patient management knowledge and skills.

The best benchmark or standard to emulate is the ACOG standards.As long as your management is consistent with the ACOG guidelines inthe Compendium, you will meet the passing criteria.

11Chapter


A Candidate’s Journey

161

Ihave been mentoring candidate’s preparing for their board exams fornearly twenty five years. Yet it seems like only yesterday when I wentthrough that miserable process myself. Although the blood, sweat, and

tears have long dried, I wanted to capture those emotions to help othersknow what to expect, as forewarned is forearmed.

Everyone’s journey is unique, yet we share that same quest to putFACOG behind our beloved MD. I met KJ at our April review course. Shewas preparing for her oral exams the following fall. I am always impressedwith those who have the foresight to be so proactive, as most will delayattending the review course until the fall of the exam. Coincidentally, KJand I ran into each other at the airport after the course. I knew she wasfrom my state, but discovered she actually practiced only about an hourfrom me, thus we were on the same flight. Naturally we began to chat.

I applauded her for being ahead in the game. She confessed that actu-ally she was not preparing for the oral exam at all, rather for the written boardsagain. She had failed her written exam and was devastated. “I had neverfailed anything in my life. I was crushed, humiliated, and demoralized.You are actually only the second person I’ve told. Only my husband knows.I couldn’t even tell the rest of my family, friends, nor even my partner”.

We physicians are so darn tough on ourselves. But it’s true, we don’taccept defeat well. Heck, we’re devastated if we get a B, but to fail? I truly believethat there is no way anyone can make it through four years of college, fouryears of medical school, and four years of residency if he weren’t smart.

12Chapter


Lessons Learned

175

After the exam is over and the dust has settled (or perhaps moreappropriately, after the blood, sweat, and tears have dried), I haveasked candidates, “If you had to do it all over again, what would you

do differently?” Below are the most frequent responses.

1. Start collecting my case list earlier and updating it more frequently(regularly).

Recommendation: Start collecting cases on July 1 and enter them afterevery surgery and delivery.

Start collecting cases on July 1. Begin collecting and entering yourgynecologic cases after every surgery, and your obstetric cases after everydelivery. Put some blank case list forms in your locker in Labor andDelivery and Surgery, in your office and in your briefcase. Better yet, put aform in the patient’s office chart when you head over to surgery and fill itout in the operating room after you dictate the procedure. Match theserough drafts with the accompanying history and physical, operative ordelivery notes and discharge summary.

If you cannot update after every surgery or delivery, do so at leastweekly. If you procrastinate more than two weeks, you will have lost recallof precious details. In the long term, you will waste more time, and expe-rience more frustration in trying to capture lost dates and details.

For the office case list collection, I recommend you keep a list of thecategories on your desk starting in August. Over the next few months, sim-ply jot down the patient’s name and diagnosis when they fit a particularcategory. Once you have four names in a category, cease further collection.

13Chapter


ABOG AcceptableCase List Abbreviations

183

AAppendix

Check the ABOG Bulletin for the most up-to-date list of approved abbreviations, butdon’t feel like you have to limit yourself to only these abbreviations. I am not awareof any case list being rejected for using a few that are not on this list—just use con-

ventional abbreviations. The columns are narrow and your case list gets cluttered withtedious long words that are conventionally abbreviated. For example, I would use DMPArather than spelling out Depo Medroxyprogesterone Acetate. Avoid regional colloquialismssuch as IOL, Induction of Labor. An easy check to make sure your abbreviation is conven-tional and not regional, is to take your case list to the review course and get a couple ofopinions from a few folks who are not geographically close. If everyone instantly recognizesand uses the same abbreviation, then I would use that abbreviation.

Do not amend the ABOG abbreviations. For example, I would suggest not using NSVD,normal spontaneous vaginal delivery, in lieu of the ABOG recommended abbreviation ofSVD, spontaneous vaginal delivery. Admittedly, some of their abbreviations are atypical: forexample, CD for cesarean delivery rather than C/S for cesarean section. However, when inRome, do as the Romans.

A&P repair Anterior and posterior colporrhaphy

AB Abortion

AIDS Acquired immune deficiency syndrome

ASCUS Atypical cells of undetermined significance

BSO Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy

BTL Bilateral tubal ligation

CBC Complete blood count

CD Cesarean delivery

CIN Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

cm Centimeter

CT Computerized tomography

D&C Dilatation and curettage

D&E Dilatation and evacuation

DEXA Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry

DHEAS Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate

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Acronyms and Abbreviations

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ABC America’s OB/GYN Board Review CourseA&P Anterior and posterior colporrhaphyABOG American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inc.ACOG American College of Obstetricians and GynecologistsAUB Abnormal uterine bleedingBHCG Beta human chorionic gonadotropinBSO Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomyCD Cesarean deliveryCIN Cervical intraepithelial neoplasiaCMS Center for Medicare and Medicaid Servicesc/o Complains ofCREOG Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and GynecologyCS Cesarean sectionCT Computerized tomographyD&C Dilatation and curettageDIC Disseminated intravascular coagulationDMPA Depo Medroxyprogesterone acetateEGA Estimated gestational ageEKG ElectrocardiogramFACOG Fellow of the American College of Obstetrians and GynecologistsFPM/FPMRS Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive SurgeryG GravidaGDM Gestational Diabetes MellitusGnRH Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone AgonistsGYN GynecologyHCG Human chorionic gonadotropinHIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act of 1996HMB Heavy menstrual bleedingHMOs Health maintenance organizationsHPV Human papilloma virusHRT Hormone replacement therapyHSV Herpes Simplex VirusHTN HypertensionIC Interstitial Cystitis

BAppendix


Addresses

187

American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inc.2915 Vine Street, Suite 300Dallas, TX 75204-1069Phone: (214) 871-1619Fax: (214) 871-1943e-mail: [email protected]://www.abog.org

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists409 12th Street, S.W., P.O. Box 96920Washington, DC 20090-6920Phone: (202) 638-55771-800-673-8444Fax: (202) 484-5107e-mail: use initial of first name followed by up to sevencharacters of the last name followed by @acog.comhttp://www.acog.org

For publications: ACOG Distribution Center, 1-800-762-2264 orhttp://www.acog.org

CAppendix


Custom Case List

189

The most influential factor for passing your test is your case list.Henceforth, it is imperative that you strategically construct it to putyour best foot forward. Remember, your examiner sees your case list

before he even shakes your hand; therefore, his first impression of you isbased entirely on your case list.

Your priority is to construct the best case list possible. It is absolutelyimperative that you select the case list software that will best help you meetyour goals. You have two options: you can either purchase pre-existing caselist software or you can create your own. Let’s review the pros and cons of each.

ABOG SoftwareABOG has software that you may obtain by simply ordering online atabog.org. Candidates erroneously assume that it is mandatory to use theABOG software. This is simply NOT true. You may use ANY format, aslong as it exactly duplicates the ABOG case list forms.

In my opinion, the ABOG software is the least preferable option. ACOGwas the first to author the software in the early 1990s and then relinquishedit over to ABOG in the early 2000s. As with any project, each revisionimproves on the last; however, it still continues to have many limitations.

The ABOG program is not very user friendly. You have little control ofthe order of cases and editing within each case. The ABOG software willnot let you easily make logical word breaks in columns or pages, nor canyou align your flow of thought from one column to the next. Finally, theABOG software doesn’t track statistics accurately for your summary sheets.

DAppendix


Recommendationsfor Subspecialty Fellows

211

The pressing issue on most subspecialty fellows’ minds is when totake their general boards exam. One thing for certain, you cannot sitfor your subspecialty oral boards until you pass your general oral

board exam. You will be horrified to acknowledge how much you have for-gotten about your non-subspecialty areas. For this reason, I recommendyou take your general board exam as soon as possible.

Effective in 2013, you can sit for your exam anytime during your fel-lowship. Of course, not all fellowship directors are in open support of thisand some may discourage you from taking it until your third research year.You will forget so quickly those off-specialty topics. The longer you wait,the worse the recall. If you’re no longer practicing general OB/GYN, youpeaked in your chief residency year. Back then, it was inconceivable thatyou could ever forget how to deliver a baby or perform a hysterectomy,since you could practically do it in your sleep. However, it’s true - if youdon’t use it, you’ll lose it. You need to persuade your fellowship directorthat it’s to the program’s advantage for you to take the exam as soon aspossible, in order to enhance your chances of passing and also to assureyour program’s excellent reputation.

I strongly recommend you apply for your basic oral exam the firstyear of your fellowship. Specifically, you took your primary written boardexam at the end of June of your chief residency year and you started yourfellowship on July 1. You won’t even get your written exam results untilSeptember 1, so you will need to apply for the accelerated or fast track.

EAppendix


215

Recommendations for Military Personnel

The primary reason for seeking board certification is probably thesame for civilian and military physicians. Some incentives, however,are unique to the military.

If you are board-certified, you receive a monthly bonus stipend.Furthermore, board certification influences your assignment of duty posi-tion and station. You are more likely to be assigned to a sought-after teach-ing facility if you are board-certified. Certainly board certification makesyou marketable if you decide to leave the military.

Historically, military personnel enjoy an excellent track record.Statistically as a group, you have a nearly 100% pass rate. Are you bettertrained? I doubt it, since most of you were trained in civilian residencies.The explanation probably lies in the unique differences and challenges ofpracticing Ob/Gyn in the military.

It usually becomes obvious when you are defending your case list thatyou lack the support of both Ob/Gyn and other colleagues because of theomnipresent physician shortage in the military. Ancillary resources arerestricted because of geographical limitations and shortages. Your patientpopulation is different. Deployments, missions, and nontraditional jobduties often influence timing and urgency for evaluation, management,and follow-up. Thus, you must be more creative, broad-based, resourceful,and independent than your civilian colleagues. Examiners love it!

FAppendix


217

Case List Review

We have discussed throughout the book, the importance of hav-ing your case list reviewed. Of course, it is the most helpfulBEFORE you turn it in on August 1. Your reviewers will pick up

on not just the obvious, but equally important the subtleties that can reallyadd up. Ideally you should have you case list reviewed in May and then inearly-July after your first re-write.

The more reviews, the better. I recommend your referring MFM reviewthe Obstetrics case list, your GYN Oncologist or FPM your Gynecologycase list, and your Reproductive Endocrinologist your Office Practice. Thespecialists represent those of your examiners and are especially importantto help you recapture the specialist, rather than the generalist perspective.

Given however, this is your general boards, I recommend you havesome generalists look at any of the three sections. Furthermore, you wantto have a stranger who is unfamiliar with your mode of practice, to giveyou a true unbiased picture. Finally, a non-medical person can pick up ontypos and spelling errors.

Absolutely ALL of your reviewers should be clinicians. The practice ofmedicine is so dynamic, that even one who only recently stopped practic-ing will already be out of date. This exam most definitely will hold you tothe latest standards. Furthermore, your reviewer must also be performingthe same surgeries and procedures as you in order to provide the mostcontemporary and comprehensive suggestions. You can sure bet yourexaminer is the expert for those as well.

GAppendix


Documents

01 DASBook ch1to5 - d3ciwvs59ifrt8.cloudfront.net first encounter with the oral boards. The oral boards differ from the written boards in several ... The ABOG Bulletin states that